Unions to Democrats: Don’t take us for granted

By Rachelle Younglai/Reuters

The country’s largest labor federation warned the Obama administration and congressional Democrats not to take their support for granted and said they would work against any elected leader who supports pending free trade agreements.

“Every elected leader will be held accountable,” AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka told reporters, as anti-Wall Street protests spread across the United States.

“Working families will be demanding action to promote a real job creation agenda. They are not going to go away,” he said.

Unions have started joining protesters angry about home foreclosures, high unemployment, executive compensation and the 2008 financial services bailout. The demonstrations, which started in New York a few weeks ago, have since spread to Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Florida, Chicago and other cities.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/05/us-usa-politics-unions-idUSTRE79464Z20111005

Tagged as: AFL-CIO, Democrats, job creation, New York, Obama administration, Occupy Wall Street, Richard Trumka, union protests